God Has Always Loved You

God has always been chasing after you with loving kindness, even when you've been hiding.

2 Samuel chapter 9 tells how David, after he had been made king of Israel, reaches out to find a descendant of Saul. King Saul had hunted David for years out of pride and insecurity, trying to kill him, turning him into a refugee. Even so, in verse 1, King David wants to show God's kindness (which is the Hebrew word hessed) to anyone left in Saul's family.

It turns out Mephibosheth, son of Jonathan, is still alive. He was crippled in an accident when he was very young, and has lived in hiding, afraid of David. Being crippled, he is limited by Jewish law from worshiping God fully. The disability makes him a social outcast and an embarrassment to his family. And his lineage dooms him to live in fear of the king's revenge. He is brought before King David starting in verse 6.

6 When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he bowed down to pay him honor.David said, “Mephibosheth!”“At your service,” he replied. 7 “Don’t be afraid,” David said to him, “for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table.”8 Mephibosheth bowed down and said, “What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?”

Mephibosheth lived the rest of his life in Jerusalem, in the care of King David. David had experienced God's love, knew God's choosing when everyone else overlooked him, knew God's exaltation when he was depressed and at his lowest. God searches for us, finds us, and takes us from being hidden to being seen.

God takes us from death and into abundant life through His son Jesus.

John 10:10 NIV

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

God takes us from shame to honor.

Psalm 3:3 NIV

But you, Lord, are a shield around me,

my glory, the One who lifts my head high.

Finally, God takes us from being alone and afraid to being adopted and part of his family.

John 1:12 NIV

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.

If you've put your faith in Jesus, you are no longer hidden, orphaned, dishonored, or spiritually dead. Your good Father sees you, loves you and has good things for you. Come experience the life that God has for you!